April 20, 2014

While here in Austin we have been blessed with beautiful Bluebonnets and wildflowers, many of our customers are still battling snow.

I have made reference to the book "Wonderful Stitches" bu Diane Schultz before and I am doing it again. I thought I would share a stitch out of her book that I am calling Bargello Flowers 2.

Use a stranded silk for the framing (black), Neon Rays for the red stitches and an over-dyed thread for the blue stitches. I like Painters Palette Shimmer Ribbon. It gives a wonderful effect with the shimmer and the over-dye at the same time.

April 06, 2014

Wow, what a whirl wind weekend. We had a magnificent time with Laura Taylor teaching 2 magnificent pieces.

In the Fall Laura will be back for another 5 days of camp. We will be offering the "Halloween Basket" as a 3 day class and a 2 day Canvas Enhancement class. We are filling up fast..

I love the way Laura stitches. She has a touch that allows each element to speak for itself. I hope you will join us. Get details here Laura Taylor.

And then for next spring (April 2015),

We are so excited to offer this very special canvas depicting Charles Wysocki's "Rooster Express" for our Hill Country Stitching Camp next Spring. Laura Taylor fell in love with the painting several years ago and wished that it could be a needlepoint canvas. When we began thinking about the project for next April we decided to see how we could include this delightful piece of folk art in our event. After several phone calls and conversations with the Wysocki Estate Laura gained permission to have it painted and reproduced for our class. This canvas will only be offered for class and cannot be purchased after the class takes place. We are honored to offer the "Rooster Express" and cannot wait to see Laura's interpretation of this folk art gem.

We had Brenda Stofft paint and recreate it for us only as she could do.

April 23-26, 2015

We are still working out the plans for the weekend. The class fee will be between $400-$450 for the 4 days and we will have a limit of 18. At the moment this is all we have.

Now for Share a Stitch!

I am calling this stitch Excalibur. I plan on giving to someone for a stitch on a stocking.

Use a metallic for the dark stitches.

So now I am signing off so I can go pack for vacation in Santa Fe. See you next Sunday!

April 01, 2014

The reason I am just now posting is because I spent the weekend stitching and un-stitching on the angel. I hate it when that happens.

One of the stitches I am doing on her is Criss Cross Hungarian Gone Wrong, so I thought I would share it with you since it is ingrained in my head.

We got the Teapot piece that Laura Taylor is teaching this weekend back from the framer. Bonnie Dietering from Art, inc. in San Antonio is amazing. She made it into a Teabag Tray,

I have a local customer who is making me canvas holders that have a well in the side so that your decorative stitches do not get crushed. I have been using mine and will forever be carrying works in progress this way.

She is making 10", 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20: square along with a 18x30 for stockings. The prices start at $50.00 and go up to $105.00 for the 20". The stocking size is $150.00.

If you are interested contact the store and we can send you pictures of her available fabric. She is making them to order.

Between Llano and Fredericksburg on Highway 16 there is a beautiful road called the Willow City Loop. It meanders through private ranches and it just amazing. The vistas and fields of wildflowers are amazing. Because of the rain and cold winter we had the Bluebonnets are particularly stunning. The white Poppies make the fields look they are covered in snow.